It's Official: Higher Fuel Economy Standards Set for 2025

After a 13-day delay, the Obama administration announced the much-anticipated corporate average fuel economy standards, which will raise industry-wide fuel economy to 54.5 mpg by 2025.

"By the middle of the next decade, our cars will get nearly 55 miles per gallon, almost double what they get today," President Barack Obama said in a statement. "It will strengthen our nation's energy security, it's good for middle-class families, and it will help create an economy built to last."

One important detail: It's not really 55 mpg. CAFE standards stem from a smorgasbord of 1970s-era fuel economy ratings with various exemptions and credits. Experts say the 54.5 mpg standard will translate to the high 30s in EPA combined city/highway gas mileage on new-car window stickers by 2025. Still, that's a huge increase from the 22 mpg average for new cars, the EPA told us last year.

Detroit Three unions, environmentalists, legislators and most major automakers came together more than a year ago to support the upgraded CAFE, which will add some $3,000 to the cost of each new car by 2025, USA Today reports. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the improved fuel efficiency will save more than $8,000 in gas costs over the life of the vehicle. Many Republicans still oppose the standard, with GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney telling the Detroit News last June that he'd "work with the manufacturers to find ways to encourage fuel economy on the part of the consumer" rather than mandating mileage requirements from automakers.

Comments

The Obama administration can mandate cars run on cheese but it doesn't make it possible. This CAFE standard will result in only expensive EV/hybrid cars or super lightweight, three cylinder deathtraps on the road.

We suddenly have many compact and mid-sized cars hovering around 30mpg combined. I'm sure that in 10+ years, automakers will have no problem hitting this target (if the article is correct in saying that this mandate would translate to EPA ratings of only the upper 30s)

@D; 3 cylinder cars, like the 2014 Ford Fiesta and Mitsubishi Mirage are actually pretty safe with all the air bags they have in them. But they don't get the best MPG.
The Prius gets very good MPG, about 46MPG real world average, is very safe and weighs a good 3,050 pounds so it is a very safe car.

Good fuel economy does not equal unsafe.

Heck, in Europe, the big Ford Fusion has an option of being build with a 3 cylinder Ecoboost!

Post a Comment

Please remember a few rules before posting comments:

If you don't want people to see your email address, simply type in the URL of your favorite website or leave the field empty.

Do not mention specific car dealers by name. Feel free to mention your city, state and brand.

Try to be civil to your fellow blog readers. This blog is not a fan or enthusiast forum, it is meant to help people during the car-buying process and during the time between purchases, so shoppers can keep a pulse on the market.

Stay on topic. We want to hear your opinions and thoughts, but please only comment about the specified topic in the blog post.